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December brought a book that I loved, a self-help book that is super interesting and a couple of reads that just weren’t great. I finished the year with 64 books read. I will be following up with a post of my favorite books in 2018. There were some really good ones!

The Kennedy Debutante by Kerri Maher4 StarsI’ve read and watched a lot about the Kennedy family, but I had never heard the story of Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy the sister to JFK. The book starts pre-war and gives a bit of background into the Kennedy family living in London.

While living in London Kick was at all the parties and after-hour events. She quickly makes a group of close knit friends and falls in love with a British Protestant. Her family is all too happy to cart her home when the war starts with hopes of finding her a suitable Catholic husband.

Kick is strong willed and determined to make it on her own. She is also very determined to make it back to London to her love.

I will warn, that if you are looking for a book with a happy ending this is not the book for you.

True to Form: How to Use Foundation Training for Sustained Pain Relief and Everyday Fitness by Eric K. Goodman4 StarsThis was an interesting overview of the Foundation Training method. I liked that there was a definition of the program to begin with and then the book went right into how to incorporate the exercises into your life. There was a full color picture of each exercise and a description of how to do it. There was even a section that showed various exercises you could do while doing everyday things like brushing your teeth or laundry.

I will still sign up for at least 30 days of the program online to get videos to help me learn the motions, but at least I know what I’m getting myself into. I feel like these exercises will help me with the back strains and pains I’ve been having. Likely 20 years at a desk has taken it’s toll and now I need to strengthen some smaller muscle groups.

Night of Miracles by Elizabeth Berg3 StarsI liked the first book in this series, The Story of Arthur Truluv, so much better. This book seemed like a watered down version of the first. I found this story sad and a little bit boring. I wouldn’t recommend this book.

The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye2 StarsI just couldn’t like this book. I really tried. I made it about halfway through and then questioned why I was still reading. The Paragon Hotel has a high rating on Goodreads, so I kept thinking I was missing something or that the book had to get better.

The narrators voice just wasn’t working for me. I understand that she is a con artist and changes into who she needs to be to suit the situation, but I found her voice hard to read. I typically love historical fiction, but this book wasn’t for me.

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman5 StarsSomething in the Water is so good! The writing reminds me of Ruth Ware, but the story is new and intense. I read this book in three days. I didn’t see the twist coming until the last few chapters of the book and couldn’t put it down until I saw what was going to happen. I also liked how the author tied up her loose ends and the book ended really well.

I highly suggest if you like suspense that you should read Something in the Water.

I think I read the fewest books in November that I’ve read in any month this year. I think the problem was that a few of my favorite tv shows came back and I was engrossed in them.

To be honest, I didn’t read anything I loved in November. I could have probably skipped posting about this month, but maybe this list will save you from picking a book that isn’t great. Because there are a ton of better choices out there.

Under My Skin by Lisa Unger2 StarsThis book wasn’t so much suspenseful as it was confusing. I think there is a fine line between books that keep you guessing and books that you can’t understand what is going on. This book crossed the line into me asking myself, “What in the hell is happening now.”

Maybe it’s just that there are too many books out there where the woman can’t remember what happened to her and there are others that do it far better (The Girl on the Train). In the end so much of what was happening didn’t even matter.

I will say that the very last couple of chapters of this book are good. There is just way too much to wade through prior to those chapters to make this book worthwhile. I was disappointed.

Simply Tuesday: Small Moment Living in a Fast Moving World by Emily P. Freeman4 StarsI liked this book. There are a lot of personal stories that are very relatable. I really like Emily P. Freeman’s podcast that gives similar stories and thoughts weekly. She also sends a newsletter that is a great read. I really enjoy what she puts into the world.

An Improbable Pairing by Gary Dickson3 StarsI liked this book. It was an ok read, but I kept expecting more. I kept thinking, “Here we go!” the author is going to add something interesting and it never showed up. I liked that it was set in the 1960’s. I envisioned an old movie and imagined Katharine Hepburn as the Countess. I liked the descriptions of the Countess’ outfits and the places they visited at the beginning but half way through the book the descriptions of every little detail got old for me.

This wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t a favorite for me. I finished the last page and felt very ho-hum. Unfortunately, this is not a book I will be recommending for anyone to read.

October was a month full of historical fiction. I didn’t plan it that way, but looking back that’s mostly what I read. It was a good month for books with four that I loved and one that was good and maybe would have been rated higher if it wasn’t overshadowed by the other four.

A Well Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts by Therese Anne Fowler
Therese also wrote Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald which I loved. I was excited when I saw another book by her and added it to the top of my list A Well Behaved Woman did not disappoint! The book is mostly about Alva Vanderbilt who married William K Vanderbilt to save her sisters from starving or having to go to work. It is a well written book that kept me turning the pages. It reminded me a bit of Gossip Girl set in the 1800’s.

The Lost Carousel of Provence by Juliet Blackwell
I’m not always a fan of books that jump back and forth in history. I find it easy to get lost in the two time periods, but Juliet Blackwell did a great job of keeping them separate and interesting. I loved the idea of a book centered around the carousels in Paris and one particular carousel in rural France. I really liked both women that the story jumps between and wasn’t sure how it was going to end until the last few chapters.

City of Secrets (Counterfeit Lady #2) by Victoria Thompson
I liked the first book in this series and was excited to read the next one. These books are clean mysteries minus grisly murders or nightmares. Sometimes I just need a good old fashioned who done it that doesn’t keep me up at night. I highly recommend reading the first book in the series or you will be a little lost in this book.

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brene Brown
There were so many moments in this book that I literally said, “Wow” out loud. It brought me many epiphanies and moments that made me really think about our current cultural climate. I’ve loved Brene Brown for years and have read a couple of her other books and of course listened to her top rated Ted Talk. She never disappoints.

The Rules of Magic (Practical Magic #1) by Alice Hoffman
I’ve loved the Practical Magic movie for years. It’s on repeat for the month of October as part of my Halloween movie list, so I was super excited when Alice Hoffman wrote a prequel. It is so good! I truly hope there is a movie made of this book too. It is uplifting and heartbreaking all wrapped together. I loved learning the Owens sisters back story. My great grandma’s last name was Owens, so I always wonder if a bit of family history could be wrapped into these stories.